Emergency apparatus for damaged ships



Feb. 23 ms, 1,573,909

- a. BLUMHERG EMERGENGY APPARATUS FOR DAMAGED SHIPS Filed March 10, 1.92]. 4 Sheets-Sheet l ff; PH 5i umez a 23 1,573,909 R. BLUMBERL? AI'IARATUS FOR DAEAGED SHIPS "ileci March 10 1921 1 Liheets-Sheet 2 Feb 23 192$" R. @LUMBERGE EMERGENCY APPARATUS FOR DAMAGED saws Filed'March 10, 191:1 4 Sheets-$heet aQ Jp/ (Mme/1 Feb. 23 ,1925.

1,573,909 R BLUMBERG EMERGENCYAPPARATUS FOR DAMAGED SHIPS Filed March 10, 1921 4 Shts-Shet 4 A 7TORIVEV Patented Felt, 23, 1926.

rev ses V UNITED] stares} PATENT OFFICE.

Rama ELUIVIBEfiG', or BALTIMoI'iE, MARYLAND.

EMERGENCY APPARATtJs Foe DAMAGED srrrrs.

Application filed March 10, 1921. Serial No. 451,178.

- aged Ships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to emergency safety apparatus for temporarily stopping'a rent in the hull of a ship caused by torpedo, collision, or other accident. More specifically thepresent invention is in the nature of afurther development of the apparatus shown in nay two prior copeiiding' applie tions, Serial No. 224,827, filed March 26, 1918, and Serial No. 252,197, filed August 31, 19 18, the former of which has matured into a Patent No. 1,511,155.

Among" the objects of the invention are to provide improved means-for lowering a mattress into position; to devise improvements in thestrncture' of the mattress itself and in the method of securing the same over the rent; to produce a mattress having all of the advantages of the mattresses shon'in' in niy prior applications and having the furthr feature or ossessing Very little weight when submerged; and to provide improved means for inserting a pipe or hose through the mattress for the purpose of pumping the Water out of the hull.

In order that'n'iy invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accoihpa-nying' drawings forming apart of this SPGClfi'CfitiOD and in which,

1.. 2 and 3 are diagrammatic or conventional views illustrating the shoe ire L, steps in my iniprove'd nethod of positioning a met over the rent;

Fig. is a similar View, but on a larger and niore detailed scale, showing the Final step of such method, the break being shown asi'urther under the bottom of the ship; "Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the; parts shown in Fig. a, but illustrating the mat method in which three separate mattresses can be assembled to effectively close a rent;

Fig. 9 is an edge elevation of the mat tress shown in Fig. 7, but illustrating the same in its closed or folded position;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of an iniproved mattress containing buoyant material;

Fig. 11 is an edge View thereof;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail on an enlarged scale illustrating an opening through the inattrcss for the reception of a hose;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional VlCW on an enlarged scale suli stantially on the line 13-13 of Fig. 10;

-Fig'. 14-

a sectional View of a bolt or rivet used for securing the parts of the mattress together;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the hose connection, similar to Fig. 13, but showing the same closed by a cap;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary sectional View of a mat sonreuhat similar to Fig. 13, but showing a modified construction; and

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed section showing more clearly one of the features illustrated in Fig. '13.

leferring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to F I to 6 thereof, I will first describe my iniprovcd system of cables for properly liosition'ing a. mattress over a rent.

This ca'l'ile' system comprises a series of comparatively thin and light cables or pilot lines 35, distributed at dili'ercut points aloinr' he length of the ship, and cxtending'entirely under-net 'h the hull. tr'oin' one side to the other, as shown in Fig. l. The ends of the. ables or pilot lines are connected by rings 233 and 34 respectively, at points slightly above the Water line, to the lower ends of relatively short and heavy cables 33 and These cables extend down along the side of the hull, and are secured to a series of cleats. 31, or the like, fixed adjacent each edge of the ship, on the deck or other suitable support. The pilot cables 35 thus normally remain in the position shown in Fig. 1, but, being relatively small, interpos'e but a very slight resistance to the travel oi the ship through the Water. \Vhen a rent occurs on one side of the hull as indicated for example at X in Figure 2, a Winding drunr is'brought up to the opposite edge of the ship, as indicated at 31 in ill) Figure 2 and the cable 33 disconnected from. the cleat Ell-and connected to this winding drum. At the same time second windingv drum 32 is brought up to the same side of the ship on which the rent occurs. This winding drum 32 has already wound upon it a cable 36, out the same size as cables 33' and 3d, and connected with a; relatively heavier cable 3?. This intermediate cable 36 is heavier than the pilot table 35,; and lighter than, the cable 37. It is strong enough to carry the cable 37 and its associated parts, and at the same time light enough to avoid danger ot breaking the pilot cable.

The cable 37 is connected with a cable system, as shown in Figure 6, and'comprismg a pulley block 39, a pulley 40, a cable as .looped around said pulley, and a guy rope point'aboard the ship. hen an emergency arises this winding drum 32 is brought into position and the cable 34 disconnected from the cleat 32 and connected by means of ring 343? with the free end of the cable 36 carried by the winding drum. The winding drum 31 is then operated so as to wind up the cables'33, 35, 34 and 36, the cable system 37, 41 and 41-2 at the same time unwinding from the drum 32 and passing down over the side of the ship, so as to bring the block 39 around-to a point below or beyond the rent. Figure 2 illustrates the position of the parts during the winding operation, after the cable 33 has been entirely, and the cable 35 nearly all wound upon the drum 31 The object of providing separate cables 33' and3 l, as shown, instead of having the line 35 come entirely up to the deck, is to save cable and time of winding, when an emergency arises. The line 35, as previously stated, is not strong enough to carry the heavy cable 37. Therefore, the heavier intermediate" cable system 33, 3%, 36 is necessary By having the cable sections 33, 34: already in place and extending nearly to the water line, all that isnecessary is to attach 36, and thus the time required to wind up cable equal to the length of 33 or 34, as the case may be, is saved. I

The cables 36 and 37 areconnected by means of a ring 37, and when the drum 31 has been operated suiliciently to bring this ring almost up to the deck as shown in Figure 3, an anchoring cable 37 having a. hook at its end, may be engaged with the ring 37 and'then made fast to the cleat 31. The cable 36 is then no longer needed and may be released, as indicated in 3 aud t. At the same time the end of the guy rope il is disconnected from the win-dingdrum 32 and made fast to the cleat 32. 'Thus both ends ofthe cable system are firmly secured to the cleats, thereby forming a strong unyielding continuous girth or semi-belt,

extendingi'rom one side of the ship to the other, underneath the same.

Having secured the cables ll and 37 as shown in Fig. 3, the mattress D is then attached to one end of the looped cable 42, it being understood, of course, that one such cable is provided at each side or the mattress. By pulling upon the free end of the cables 42, therefore, so indicated by the,

may be attached to either the cable 33 or 3% as occasion demandsto position the mattress manipulatmg cables at one side or the other of the hull according to the location or the rent.

Figs. 7 and 9 of the present'disclosure illustrate a modified construction of mattress. which I may employ in certain cases and which is in the nature of avfurther development of the mattress shown in general. in Figs. 9 to 20 of my prior application Serial No. 252,197 and particularly Fig. 18 thereof.

This mattress, which is designated by the reference numeral D, comprises a metallic frame 1% and a series of cross bars 15 with which is associated suitable impervious packing material. This packing material is divided into two sections and the cross ars 15 are hingedly connected as at 16, whereby the entire mattress may be folded upon itself as shown in Fig. 9. Eyes 1? are provided, at the corners, or elsewhere, to receive ca bles. In order to hold the mattress in its flat or extended condition, locking bolts 19,

working through aligned-sbckets 18, are

provided at each edge of the mattress adjacent the hinge thereof. In order to inrther strengthen the mattress and hold it tight when extended, I preferably pro ide brace wires or rods 20 extending across the back thereof, and provided with turnbuckles 21. In order to facilitate moving the mattress from place to place along the deck or other part of the ship, I preferably provide a pair of wheels or castors 22 mounted upon the frame 1-1 at the lower edge of the mattress as shown in Fig. 7. i

In Fig. 8, I have illustrated how three separate mattresses may be combined so as to eflectively close a leak or rent. In this figure, D, designates any suitable mattress of soft flexible material, while D and D designate auxiliary mattresses having metallic frames and provided with upstanding body of the mattress, these braces being preferably connected with the metallic frame work of the mattress. The mattress l) is provided witha plurality of inwardly projecting screw studs 23 and an anchor bolt 01' rod 24: is provided having a screw any one ofthe studs 23.

threaded socket adapted to engage over After the mattress D-has been placed in position, as above described, or as shown in Figure l (for example) the anchor bolt 24 is mounted upon a suitable one of the studs 23 and the mattress D is lowered into such position that the anchor bolt 2% is opposite the rent X. Then by pressing this mattress toward the ship the anchor bolt 24 which has a sharpened point 26, is caused to pierce through the mattress D and project into the inside of thehull. A suitable spider 27 is then slipped over the projecting end of the bolt 24 and is secured in position by means of a nut 28. If water has meanwhile entered a watertight compartment through the rent,

it might be difficult to adjust the spider, and

the water should first be pumped out. If the compartment is not watertight, the water will flow away in all directions. After the fastening of spider 27 has been accomplished, the third mattress 2 may be adjusted from the inside of the ship so as to cover the rent and enclose the spider, and is thenseated against the inside of the hull so as to cause the bolt 24 to pierce and extend through the mattress. A clamping nut 29 is then placed upon the projecting end of the bolt so as to hold the mattress in position, and finally the point of the bolt is cov ered by means of a cap 30 which is screwed onto the bolt outside of the nut 29.

In'Figs. 10 to 17, I have illustrated'the improved construction of mattress which I prefer to employ. Referring to these fig ures, it will be seen that the eyes 17 heretofore mentioned are formed integral with corner plates 44 and intermediate plates 45. These edge and corner plates, as well as a suitable number of central plates 47 and 47,

are connected by metal rods or links 4-6, or the like, as in my prior application above referred to. Instead, however, of making the mattress in one continuous sheet, as in my former applications, I now propose to form the same of a number of separate and independent pads 50. These pads may be covered with canvas or other suitable material and may contain either fibrous filling material or stu'l'ling, or some buoyant mate rial such as cork. The fibrous and buoyant material may be mixed throughout each pad or some of the pads, such as indicated at 50 may consist wholly of buoyant material. such as cork of some kind, while others of the pads may be filled entirely with fibrous material, as indicated at $10. In any event the object and purpose of the buoyant ma terial is to neutralize the weight of the metal link work and roin'l orcement, so that, when the mattress is suluuerged it will have very little weight, or will, in other words, be of almost the same specific gravity as water. It is obvious that by slightly varying the proportion of buoyant material in the mattress, it is possible to produce a mal tress which will be either the same weight as water or slightly heavier, so as to sink properly when lowered. By 'ausing the mattress to have only slight weight when sulr merged it becomes much easier to manipulate the same, and causes less strain on the cables.

The object of constructing the mattress of a plurality of independent water-proof pads is to prevent the entire l'nattress from becoming soaked, should a leak occur at one or more points, and thus avoid excessive weight,

The reinforcing bars or links 46 extend between the pads 50 and are imbedded in suitable packing 52 (see Figure 17). the pads themselves being preferably held together by means of suitable lacing or stitching 51. superposed upon the pads and link work is a sheet 48 of netting of wovenwire or other suitable material, and the whole is enclosed in a casing or covering 49 of canvas or any suitable material. In use, the woven wire is placed on the side of the mat adjacent the hull. so as to support the pressure on the pads and carry the strain.

lVhile in the right-hand portion of Figure 10, I have shown the separate pads as of triangular or irregular shape. adapted to fit between the rods, constituting the metal link work, I also propose to employ square or rectangular pads as indicated at (it; and 67 at the lefthand side of Figure 10, in dotted lines. It is obvious that if a pad as large as that indicated at (it; or 67, were filled with granulated cork, for example. it would be impossible to hold the material in position. I, therefore. propose to build up each of the large rectangular pads from a number of small, separate blocks or packages such as indicated at 68. Each of these blocks will comprise a bag or package of canvas or the like filled with granulated cork or other suitable 'n'laterial. These blocks are then asscn'ibled as by lacing or stitching 51 so as to form large pads and these are enclosed within a second covering or casing of canvas or the like. lhese large casings 06, 6'? are then also laced together to form one continuous pad. In this way the filling material is held securely in position and shifting thereof prevented. In the case of rectangular pads as described, grooves or channels will be formed therein to accommodate the link worlr.

The parts of the entire mat ress are firmly held together by means of bolts or rivets 61 which pass through the plates 44, and 45. etc. The heads of these bolts are concave on the under side as shown at 62, in Fig. 14, and under the nut 64!; are employed concave washer-s63. The purpose of this construction will hereinafter appear.

In order to facilitate the discharge of water from the flooded hull, I provide means whereby one or more hose 56 may be connected with passages extending through the mattress at different points. To this end a screw threaded hole 53 is formed in a number of the central plates 417 and a corresponding hole in each side ot the canvas covering 49. The edge of these holes in the canvas, as wellas the holes through which the boltstil pass, are preferably reinforced with thread or cord alter the manner oi".

working button-holes. This is indicated at in Figure 12.

The plates l? are provided with smaller holes to receive bolts 61. as described in connect-ion with plates M- and 45. Through each 01" such plates having the larger hole 53. therein, however, extends a terrule ot, pro

'vided with an annular head or-fiange 60.

The body of the ferrule is also externally screw-threaded to engage the threaded hole 53 and to receive a nut 5?, suitable concave washers 58 and 59 being placed under the nut and head respectively. It will be un derstood that these washers co-operate with the reinforced edges of the holes in the canvas forming a water-tight oint. -In the same way, the concave bolt heads and washers shown in Figure 14. co-operate with the reinforced edges surrounding them to prevent slipping and to form water-tight joints.

The opening through the ferrule 3 i is normally closed by means of a cap 544, as shown in F1; 15, screwed on to the projecting threaded end of the ferrule 54. hen, however. it is desired to connect a water hose to any or the ferrules. the corresponding cap 'is removed and a threaded hose coupling 56 to which a hose 56 is attached, screwed on instead. It will be understood that tne hose are connected before the mattress is lowered into the water, or they may remain :ermanently attached to the mattress.

As shown in Fig. 16, I may, in some cases, omit the fibrous or other filling entirely, and

form a mattress consisting only of the link work 46, netting 48, and canvas case 4-9, together with the other features shown inv Figs. 10 to 15.

While I have shown the link work 46 as having comparatively large meshes, it will, of course, be understood that such meshescan be made as small as desired.

In Figs. 16 and 17, I have shown an improved means for holding the canvas on opposite sides of the mattress together. This consists of a plurality of straps 65, suitably distributed through-out the mattress. One end of each strap is attached to the canvas casing on one side, as indicated at 65 in Fig. 1'7, whilethe other end is secured in a buckle 65", carried by the canvas at the other side of the mattress.

A mattress of the same general construction can also be employed for caisson work, or. in connection with a suitable skeleton frame, used to form a boat or raft.

What I claim is: I

1. The combination with a ship,'o;t a comtioning a mattress over a rent in the hull of a ship which consists, first, in providing a thin pilot line normally running underneath the ship from one side to the other, and attached at its ends to heavy cables; second, letting out one of such heavy cable and drawing in the other and said pilot line until the first heavy cable has been drawn entirely under the ship, with one end extending to the opposite side thereof, and a ring or pulley with. se .nd line looped therethrough attached to the other end; third, drawing said first cable until its end carrying the said or "pulley has been positioned below the rent; and fourth, attaching a mattress to one end of said second line, and pulling on the other end until the mattress reaches the desired point.

3. The herein described method of positioning a mattress over a rent in the hull of a ship which consists in, first, providing a thin pilot line normally running underneath the ship from one side to the other and attached atits end to heavy cables; second, attaching an empty winding drum to one of said heavy cables and attaching to the other heavy cable one end of a cable system wound upon a second winding drum, such cable system, including a pulley with a line looped therearound; third, operating the first windiug drum until the pilot line and heavy cable attached thereto have been Wound up sufficiently to position the said pulley at a point below the rent; fourth, making fast the ends of the belt of cable passing under the ship, and including the pulley; and fifth, attaching a mattress to one end of the line looped around the pulley and pulling on the other end thereof to draw the mattress ClOWll into position.

-:l. A mattress comprising a rigid frame and a body of suitable impervious material, said frame being formed of a pair of pivotally connected sections. capable of fold ng, and bolts on the outside edges of the mattress for locking said sections in operative position.

5. Means for stopping a rent in the hull of a vessel comprising a first mattress ov lying the rent outside of the hull, a SRCOW"? mattress superposed upon the first, and a tie rod or anchor carried by the second mattress and extending through the first at the point- Where it covers the rent.

6, Means for stopping a rent in the hull of a vessel comprising intermediate, inner. and outer mattresses, and an anchor rod attached to the outer mattress and extending through the other two at the point Where they overlie the rent, so as to hold all threefirmly together.

7. A metal re-enforced mattress composed partly of buoyant material, so that the specific gravity of the Whole Will be approximately equal to that of Water.

8. A metal re-enforced mattress having in its makeup sufficient buoyant material to substantially compensate for the weight of the metal, so that the weight of the Whole, when submerged, will be comparatively small.

9. A mattress comprising link Work, and separate canvas covered pads between the links, some of said pads containing buoyant material.

10. A mattress comprising a Woven Wire backing, re-enforcing link-Work, separate pads between the links, and a canvas cover 7 ing over all.

11. A mattress comprising metallic reenforcing members and buoyant pads associated therewith, each pad comprising a casing containing a plurality of individual packages of such material.

12. The combination with a mattress having a plurality of openings therethrough, of n'ieans for normally closing said opening: and a hose having means for connecting it with any of said openings when the closing means is removed.

13. The combination with a mattress comprising link Work and connecting plates, one of said plates having an opening, a threaded ferrule fitting in said opening and extending through the mattress, and a. hose hav ng means for attachment to said ferrule.

14. The con'ibination with a mattress having a canvas cover, and provided with an opening, the edges of the can "as adjacent the opening being reinforced by stitching, of a ferrule passing through said opening, and locking Washers on said ferrule bearing against such reinforced edges of the canvas to form a Water-tight joint.

15. The combination with a mattress having a canvas cover, of-bolts passing through the mattress from one side to the other, the holes in the canvas cover through which the bolts pass having edges reinforced by stitching, and the bolts having concave heads cooperating With such reinforced edges to form a water-tight joint.

16. A mattress comprising a canvas casing and an enclosed body, and anchor straps extending through said body and attached at their ends to the canvas casing, whereby the sides of said casing are held together and prevented from separating.

1'7. A mattress consisting only of a reinforcing frame of link Work, netting overlying the same, and a canvas covering on both sides.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RALPH BLUMBERG. 

